Greg Dyke accuses Conservatives of trying to intimidate BBC ahead of general election

Former director general Greg Dyke accuses the Conservative Party of
pressurising the BBC ahead of the next general election.

Mr Dyke, now chairman of the Football Association, said that the Tories were "putting a marker down for the election" after party chairman Grant Shapps challenged the corporation to undertake dramatic changes in the wake of a series of scandals and accusations of bias.

Responding on The Andrew Marr show on Sunday morning, Mr Dyke said: "Eighteen months from an election the government of the day, doesn't matter which government, decides to start pressurising the BBC and says if we win again 'we going to take away your money' - they all do it."

"The BBC's job is to resist."

Conservative MP Greg Hands also spoke out following the article, saying the BBC needs to be "open" to ensure the "taxpayer is getting good value for money".